The Governor's Institute of Reading has three major purposes:
(1) To review the best practices in the teaching of reading
(2) To provide teachers with professional development and support for implementing best practices in the teaching of reading
(3) To award competitive grants to school districts for designing and providing a comprehensive approach to reading instruction based on best practices.

Administrative Agency

State Department of Education

Target Population

Teachers and students grades K-3.

Evaluation

Web Site

COMPONENT INFORMATION

Teacher Component

Created by the Governor's Institute of Reading, the South Carolina Reading Initiative is a three-year, intensive staff development effort. This initiative seeks to enhance teacher/administrator knowledge about reading research, theory and practice; explore the knowledge and tools to assess and instruct students in appropriate ways; create a network of teachers, principals and consultants who have a shared knowledge base about the teaching and learning of reading; develop structures within individual schools so educators can engage in an independent and ongoing process of positive change.http://www.state.sc.us/governor/focus_on_reading/initiative.htm

FUNDING INFORMATION

State Funding Sources

State appropriation $3.3 million, FY02

Distribution of Funds

Grants are distributed to schools through a competitive grant process.

Each school district must design and implement a parenting or family literacy program to support parents of children ages birth through five years in their role as principal teachers of their preschool children.

Administrative Agency

State Board of Education

Target Population

Parents of children birth - 5 with a focus on at-risk families.

Evaluation

Districts must participate in evaluation efforts coordinated by the state department of education. This will include tracking children of participating parents through 1st grade to determine the program's impact on school readiness.

Web Site

COMPONENT INFORMATION

Curriculum Component

Nationally validated program and curriculum training, such as Parents As Teachers, Motheread, Parent-Home-Child, etc., must be included.

Parental Component

Programs must provide parent education that (1) enhances the relationships between parents and children and connects the value of interactions to literacy experiences; (2) provides literacy development of parents and children; (3) promotes interaction of parents with schools and the wider community; (4) develops understanding of child development; and (5) provides support services that address health, nutrition, transportation, child care and other related issues.S.C. Code Regs. § 43-265

Teacher Component

The state department of education will provide or coordinate activities to train parent educators in developing and implementing parenting and family literacy initiatives. Appropriate ongoing staff development activities must be incorporated in the district's strategic plan.S.C. Code Regs. § 43-265

The South Carolina Reads initiative will support a three-dimensional thrust toward comprehensive and systematic instruction grounded in scientifically based reading research in the areas of professional development, early literacy and family literacy that will help all children in the selected schools read by the end of 3rd grade.

Administrative Agency

South Carolina Department of Education

Target Population

Students grades K-3.

Evaluation

Web Site

COMPONENT INFORMATION

Leadership Component

Professional development opportunities will be tailored to top school district administrators and principals.

Teacher Component

Professional development opportunities will be tailored to five audiences: (1) state-level professionals, (2) top school district administrators and principals, (3) early childhood and elementary school teachers and reading specialists, (4) parenting and family literacy educators, and (5) paraprofessionals.

FUNDING INFORMATION

Federal Funding Sources

South Carolina will receive $26 million from the federal Reading Excellence Act grants.